 Bighorn sheep are back home in the Franklin Mountains after being away more than 100 years. With the help of our partners, we recently relocated 77 bighorns into West Texas' Franklin Mountains State Park, revitalizing that ecosystem.
Pay them a visit in spring, when bighorn lambs are expected, and Mexican gold poppies bloom on the slopes of the mountains. While you're in the area, drive the local Great Texas Wildlife Trails: El Paso Uplands Loop and El Paso Rio Loop.
Get more of the story on how we translocated these bighorns in our Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine article Bighorn Sheep Start New Journey in Franklin Mountains. See the relocation in action in our video, Restoring Bighorn Sheep – this sneak peek of an upcoming PBS show is courtesy of our television series, Texas Parks and Wildlife, which is celebrating its 40th season.
Using netting to keep birds out of your garden can be deadly. Animals of all kinds may become entangled, suffer and die before they can be released.
Instead, hang shiny strips of foil, install rubber snakes or an owl decoy. Or cover plants with a lightweight fabric, like tulle, and seal it with clothespins. Get more alternatives to bird netting in our video Garden Netting Can Kill Wildlife - Tips from a Wildlife Biologist.
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 Whooping cranes have been a slow but steady conservation success – only 50 of these crimson-capped cranes existed in 1967, when they were declared endangered. Thanks to conservation efforts, there are now 500+. Find out more in the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine story Whooping Crane Population Staying Above 500.
The only wild flock of whooping cranes in the world spends November-March on the Texas coast. Whoopers reside with their young, called colts, at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge – a boat tour is your best bet to see them there. The birds are also expanding into other areas, including Goose Island State Park.
Port Aransas throws an annual festival for them each February. See what it's like, and where attendees go to see the birds, in our video Port Aransas Whooping Crane Festival.
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